Realtors offer free Christmas dinner

If you go

What: Steamboat Springs Board of Realtors Community Christmas Dinner

When: 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday

Where: Steamboat Springs Community Center

Cost: Free

file photo

Lynn Bier, left, serves dinner to Debbie Freseman at the annual Steamboat Board of Realtors Community Holiday Dinner last year. Bier is one of 40 Realtors and family members volunteering to help with the annual event at the Community Center.

Steamboat Springs  If making a huge holiday meal isn't on your to-do list Monday, let the Steamboat Springs Board of Realtors do all the work.

The Board of Realtors' annual Community Christmas Dinner is from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Steamboat Springs Community Center. The dinner brings together about 400 people every year for a warm Christmas meal, live entertainment and holiday gifts for children.

"We do this every year as a way to give back to the community," said Colleen de Jong, the Community Christmas Dinner committee chairwoman and a local Realtor. "It's one of our flagship events of the year."

De Jong said the event typically draws a cross-section of the community, including full-time Steamboat residents, out-of-town visitors and college students.

"We tend to get the senior citizens, then the young families and all the (Steamboat) Ski & Resort Corp. employees who might not have their families in town or don't want to cook a huge meal," she said. "We encourage everyone to come."

Monday's menu will include typical holiday favorites such as mashed potatoes, vegetables, desserts and roasted turkey. In addition to the real estate community, several businesses have donated food items and volunteers for the dinner.

"One of my favorite things about this event is how many people it takes to put it together," she said. "We have someone who brings the turkey, someone who sets it up and someone to eat it. It's perfect."

While people enjoy their free meal, several local musicians will provide live entertainment. This year's list of entertainers includes the Yampa Valley Boys, the Concordia Lutheran Church choir and pianist Paul Potyen. Each act will play for 45 minutes.

For those living in other parts of the county or who don't have a ride to Monday's dinner, Alpine Taxi will provide free shuttle service to and from the event. Interested riders should call Alpine Taxi at 879-2800 by Friday to make a reservation, de Jong said.